Draft-gear



I. F. COURSON.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 11,-19I6. 1,337,002, Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

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J. F. COURSON.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATION man Dac. 11. 1915.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

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W'zesses:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN F. COURSON, GF PITCAIRN, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAFT-GEAR.

nar-races.

Application led 'eccniber 11, 1916.

To all [Li/wm 'it may concern.'

.Be it known that I, JOHN F. ConnsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pitcairn, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvanimhave invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Gears, of which the 'following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in draft gears of the class utilizingsprings and friction shoes and expanding mechanism for the frictionshoes, operable on buifing or pulling, to effect resistance to suchstrains through the mechanism inclosed within an embracing cylinder orcasing. f

The particular objects in -view are to provide, in a gear of this type,means for distending the friction shoes toward the casing withfrictional engagement proportioned to the strain, utilizing movableelements between a central plunger and the friction shoes, whereby toeffect expansion or retraction of the shoes coincidental with pressureand release movements. rlhese elements operate in the manner oftightening and loosening bearings of the toggle joint type. l

The several objects are accomplished in certain preferred forms of theapparatus, as more fully hereinafter described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal verticalsectional view through a complete gear as assembled, the parts beingshown in normal extendedy position. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showingthe parts in compression, either in buiiingv or pulling.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the broken line III, IH of Fig. 1.

Fig. i is a perspective" detail view of the central pressure bar.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of one of the friction shoes.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of one of the in tervening movable' lpressureexerting and transmitting members.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modied construction,iii-relaxed or normal position.

Fig. 8 is a similar view, showing the parts in compression.

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of one of the friction shoes as usedin the gear of 7 and 8.

Fig. 10 is a similar view of one portion ySpecification of LettersPatent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

Serial No. 136,142.

of the centrally arranged compound pressure bar.

Fig. 11 1s a cross sectional view on the im@ in, in, of rig. 7.

Fig. 12 is avperspective detail view of one of the intervening movablepressure exerting and transmitting members used with the `constructionof Figs. 7 and 8.

y -Fig. 13 is a sectional detail view showing the face of one of thecompound pressure bar members having a rounded abutting bearing againstthe other.

Fig. 1a is a partial detail sectional view similar to Figs. 1 to 4inclusive, but show ing the utilization of a roller bearing mem berinterposed between the central. pressure bar and the friction shoes.

Fig. 15 is a perspective detail view of the extension member of thecompound pressure bar. p

ln the drawings, 2 represents the draw bar ofa coupler connected withthe front end portions of side links 3 by a transverse bolt or key iwhich extends through slots 5 in the front portion thereof, its endspreferably terminating within the inner faces of the center sills 'T ofthe car framing at each side, for longitudinal movement. Links 3 arelongitudinally slotted at their rear ends, as indicated at 8 Fig. 3, andengage lugs 9, of the casing or cylinder 10 mounted between the centersills 7 for limited'movement in bufiing. Casing 10 is closed at its rearend and normally presses against the rear abutment 11, while a follower12 at the front end is adapted to oppose forward movement of the casingin pulling. Said follower engages against stops 13 of the center sillsin forward movement under draft or pulling strains, and is pushed backby the rear end of draw bar 2 in buling.

`Within the casing are friction shoes la which bear by their inner endsagainst a spring or springs 15, it being noted that a plurality of saidshoes are arranged within the casing.

Each of the shoes 11i is provided, preferably at or near its front andrear portion, with a concaved or rounded recess or socket 'bearing 16,entirely within the body portion Said pressure bar, as shown in Figs. 1and 2, is a single integral member, bearing by its front end againstfollower 12 and Ais loperative in connection with members 17, to actuatethem in the manner of a toggle joint to distend the shoes le intofrictional engagement with Ithe casing 10, either in buffing or pulling.

llChe parts being comparatively closely adjusted,ia comparatively smalldegree of longitudinal movement of member 19 is necessary-to distend theshoes into tight fric-tional engagement with the casing, after whichshoes will move within the casing in bu g, or the casing upon the shoes,in pulling, with a Ifrictional resistance proportionate to the strain,any increase of pressure actin g te distend the shoes more tightlyagainst the easing.

Members 17, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are generally of oval formincross-section,

their 1longest diameter being on the line c, a,

as indicated in F ig. 1. The angle of such line to the longitudinalcenter line Z), Z, of the gear is sn'iiciently acute to prevent anylocking of the gear at'the maximum pressure and distention and tofacilitate a prompt and free'release, due to the action of springs 15upon release of pressure.

In Figs. 7, S, 10, 13, 141 and 15 the construction is generally the sameas just described except that the central pressure bar is made as acompound member consisting of a main Vbar 19L and a supplemental bar19a. Said supplemental bar is in abutting engagement with the inner endof bar 19 and forms-an extension of it, and by making the centralpressure bar as a compound bar member, I provide suiicient flexibilityto insure Vagainst any inequality of strain as to the severalintervening movable pressure exerting members 17a. That is to say, theflexibility of the compound central pressure bar fallows -said members17al to adapt themselves Within the friction shoes 14ea to com- -sures.maintenance of the parts in operative position.

'In Fig. 13 lthe supplemental pressure bar vmember 19a 'is shown asprovided with ya rounded face 19am-abutting against the confronting"flat Vface 'of lthe .main pressure ybar member 19, providing theAflexibility above tion slices 14 are somewhat enlarged as to theirradius and provide concave rolling bearing faces for intervening rollers17". These bear by their opposite sides against the concave bearingfares 18" of the central pressure bar 19 and its extension 19h. Theaction in such case is substantially the saine, except that the rollers1T" act with the usual effect with roller bearii gs, reducing frictionand without any toggle action, mereiy providing for transmission ofpressure ro the friction shoes due to the advancing laterally pressingrounded faces of the cent 'al pressure bar or of the friction shoes.

rthe construction and operation of thel gear will be readily understoodfrom the foregoing description and it will he found to provide a simple,highly ei'iiiient and elfective means for exerting great fri/.tionalresistance.

Silhat claim is:

1. fr draft gear consisting of a casing, a pair of oppositely locatedfriction shoes within the casing having interior vlore :nid aft bearingrecesses, a central compound pressure bar comprising fore and aftabutting sections each ]iirovidial with recesses, and interveningloosely mounted prix nre transmitting members engaging the recesses ofthe friction shoes and pressure bar respectively.

2. ln combination, a casing, friction shoes within the casing havinginterior fore and aft l caring recesses,a draw bar and follower inoperative relation to the casing, a ventral compound pressure barcomposed of fore and aft abutting sections extending inwardly betweenthe friction shoes and each provided with outer recesses, looselymounted pressure transmitting members between the friction shoes and thepressure bar and engaging the recesses thereof, and a spring` within thecasing ei'igaging the friction shoes.

3. ln combination, ay casing, friction shoes within the casingvhavinginterior fore and aft bearing recesses, a drawl'iar and follower inoeative relation to thc easing a` eentral compound pressure har rompsdof abutting sect-ions extending inwardly bctvveen the friction shoe: andprovided with an intervening flexible joint bearingl and correspondingouter fore and aft bearing recesses, loosely mounted pressuretransmitting members between the friction shoes and the pressure bar andengaging the recesses thereof. and a spring within the casing cngagingthe friction shoes.

ln testimony whereof l hereunto ailix my signature.

JHN F. COURSON.

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